Remote IV drip monitoring

The problem

On busy hospital wards, checking IV bags is purely manual work: a nurse has to pass every bed and check by eye. If a bag runs out unnoticed, blood can flow back into the line and air can enter the vein. The problem isn't the technology but the limits of human attention compared with the number of patients. The system turns the task from periodic rounds into an alert when needed.

How it works

1. WeightA load cell hung between the stand and the bag measures the remaining weight continuously.
2. CalibrationThe system records the empty bag's weight as a reference and calculates the remaining percentage.
3. DisplayThe screen next to the bed shows the remaining percentage and the expected time until the drip runs out.
4. AlertsWhen the level drops below the set limit, a local buzzer sounds and an alert goes to the dashboard.
5. FollowingA web dashboard shows all beds on one page with a timeline of readings.

Project features

• A real use case in hospitals — a standout strength in front of the defense committee.
• An easy, convincing live demo: hang a water bag and drain it in front of the committee.
• It combines precise analog measurement and IoT in one project.
• It can expand to several beds on the same dashboard, becoming a system for a whole ward.
• It belongs to the medical field, which graduation projects rarely tackle seriously.

Expected challenges

These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.

• Calibrating the load cell, as the reading is affected by tube movement and stand vibration.
• Stand vibration causes false readings, so software filtering (a moving average) is needed.
• Setting the safe alert threshold: alerting too early is annoying, too late is dangerous.
• Reliance on Wi-Fi: the local alarm must keep working when the connection drops.
• Enclosure and hygiene: any device near a patient's bed must be sterilizable.

The consultation gives you a solution for each one.

Expected committee questions

Prepare your answers in advance: these questions come up often in defenses of similar projects.

1. How was the effect of stand vibration and tube movement on the weight reading handled?
2. How was the expected time until the bag empties calculated?
3. What happens when Wi-Fi drops, and does the local alarm keep working?
4. How do you ensure the device is sterilizable and suitable for a hospital environment?

Practice the defense, question by question